Prime Volleyball League 2023 - News

Karthik

Karthik A, is a former captain of the Indian men’s national volleyball team having led them at the 2021 Asian Men's Volleyball Championship in Japan. Karthik is poised for another spectacular season in the RuPay Prime Volleyball League Powered by A23.

The blocker, who last represented Kochi Blue Spikers in Season 1, will turn out for new entrants Mumbai Meteors in Season 2.

Karthik has been involved in the sport since 2009 when he represented Karnataka in his first Junior Nationals. Just two years later, in 2011, he would make his Senior Nationals debut.

“When I started playing volleyball, I wasn't good at it. Some of the players at the SAI (Sports Authority of India) used to talk behind my back that I wasn't good enough,” said Karthik ahead of the curtain raiser to Season 1 of RuPay Prime Volleyball League powered by A23 in 2022.

“Then I made up my mind that I should achieve something. I didn't let their comments deter me. I took them in a positive way,” he added, crediting the SAI for playing an active part in tailoring his volleyball career.

Persistence and consistency in his craft helped Karthik win the 2015 Federation Cup with Karnataka and eventually break into the national team in 2016.

Besides his 2015 Federation Cup win, Karthik’s other significant achievements include being part of teams that won the South Asian Games in 2016 (India) and the Senior Nationals in 2019 (Karnataka).

Come 2022, the Karnataka-born blocker would be recruited by Kochi Blue Spikers for a fee of INR 15 lakhs. He was also named the team captain in Season 1 of the RuPay Prime Volleyball League Powered by A23.

While Kochi ended the last edition with just one win in six games, Karthik was one of the top performers for the team registering 42 attack points, 13 block points and five service points.

Mumbai Meteors will look up to the immensely talented blocker as they begin their debut season on Sunday, February 5 against Calicut Heroes.